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A family affair
REP Radio podcast with Mariangela Saavedra of Casabuena Cultural Productions
Darnelle Radford
On this week's podcast, Darnelle Radford interviews Casabuena Cultural Productions founder Mariangela Saavedra about the Mt. Airy company's inaugural entry into the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. The Church Bells All Were Broken, a world premiere by Philadelphia playwright Dave Ebersole, is a fictitious story inspired by the real Westboro Baptist Church and its members. It challenges the audience to see all sides with the assistance of humor, music, and drama.
Jeff and Melissa are part of the infamous MacArthur family, a family known to take their religious beliefs to the extreme by picketing funerals with their offensive signs and parodies of pop songs. They take their messages — “God hates fags” and “America is doomed” — all over the country and even to the Supreme Court. But when Jeff decides to come to terms with his sexuality his whole life changes. He tries to maintain his faith while his family makes him an outcast. Will his sister, who loves him dearly, be able to pull him back into the fold, or will she finally see that she is really part of a cult fueled by hate?
Listen here:
To read Mark Cofta's review of The Church Bells All Were Broken, click here.
What, When, Where
The Church Bells All Were Broken. Through Sept. 24, 2016 at the PlayGround at the Adrienne, 2030 Sansom St., Philadelphia. (215) 413-1318 or fringearts.com.
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